Lord Helio
In construction Lord Helio, born Carmichael Clearness and also known as Father of Flourish, the White Wizard, the Light Lord and Wicker Wiseman, was the founder and former leader of the Order of Flourish, being the master of Hestia Hawthorn, Selina Strawberry, Phyllis Peach, Helene Hawthorn and later Order Rookie Mages like Kristen Kiwifruit. He serves as the protagonist of LOTM: Witnesses of Sleepy Hollow Spin-Off - Prophecy of the Light Lord, a supporting character of LOTM: Witnesses of Sleepy Hollow Spin-Off - Order of Strawberry, and the (former) main antagonist in LOTM: Witnesses of Sleepy Hollow - Harvest Saga. However, Lord Helio is in fact the Disc One Final Boss of Harvest Saga. Later, Phyllis (who is the overarching villain of Harvest Saga) took over his role as the main antagonist. First appearing as the White Wizard, Lord Helio shows himself as an engmatic, white-robed magician that gave Ichabod some help during his confrontation against the Spirits of Killers. He also somethimes oversees Ichabod's journey from a distance. Later, he was revealed to also be the Light Lord, the equally mysterious leader of the Order of Flourish that ran everything within Sleepy Hollow. The Order takes no course of actions without his permissions. In the past, Lord Helio was a comrade-at-arms of Ichabod Crane named Carmichael Clearness, who was rumored to be killed in war. Instead, Carmichael survived and worked with Katrina Crane and Karnivan Van Tassel together in order to seek out the mastermind behind the Horseman of Death, who was, unknown to Carmichael, Lady Van Tassel. However, Lord Helio later fell into a trap set by Ara Astaroth who worked with Moloch in a temporarily partnership. Both Ara and Melancholia turned Carmichael into the Light Lord, but he tried to resist their control and escaped from the evil forces, being hunted by Ara and the Qliphoth demons. After the seemly death of Ichabod Crane in 1781, Carmichael determined to carry on Ichabod's legacy and leaves Moloch's forces. He named himself Lord Helio and used a false ailas in order to hid his true status. With the power of the Stone of Wisdom, Helio took over Sleepy Hollow secretly, and throughout the later 231 years, he developed his followers and built the Order of Flourish piece by piece. However, due to the loss of his beloved daughter, Hestia Hawthorn, Helio had later sucubbed to his dark side once again and became a puppet of Moloch once again, a fact that was completely oblivious to most of his followers save for one; Phyllis Peach, the very murderer of Hestia. After losing Hestia, Lord Helio went completely insane and tried to perform the second Feast of Apollo using his adoptive daughter's reincarnation, Zoe Corinth, and the Stone of Wisdom containing the soul of Hestia, in order to bring Hestia back to life. The first ritual evetually failed, and the event not only drove most of Helio and his desiple deeper into the dark side, even including the cheerful Selina, but also created numerous Shines that were townspeople with potential magicial ability, subsquently causing the expansion of the Chaos of Zodiac when Moloch found those victims as human materials for the Twelve Nethers to corrupt. Lord Helio's deeds had caused mayhem across the town, unintentionally created several evil appearing in Sleepy Hollow, making Ichabod Crane to turn against him. In fear of seeing Ichabod standing against him, Helio was convinced by Michael Langdon into secretly betraying his own people. Under the arrangement of Michael and manipulation of Phyllis, Lord Helio allied with Moloch under secretly supported the Chaos of Zodiac under the alias of Wiseman. ''Data Description Naming Pun Design and Appearance Introduction Originally being a kind and benevolent figure, Lord Helio used the Stone of Wisdom to build the Order of Flourish in order to wipe out the forces of Shadow Warriors in Sleepy Hollow. Regardless of the cause for him to become the Light Lord himself, Lord Helio was not born to be evil. Despite having himself tormented by his demonic corruption inside him, Helio remained his sanity clear thanks to the Stone of Wisdon. However, it was unfortunately changed in the day he lost his beloved (though adotive) daughter, Hestia Hawthorn. After that, Helio's innner pain, combined with side effects from the failed Feast of Apollo, allowed Helio's sanity slipped away. Helio became deluded and obsessed, claiming he would do ''anything in order to restart the Feast of Apollo and bring his daughter back from the dead. He therefore became blind in judgement of character, even to the poin being fooled by someone like Phyllis Peach, who persuaded him to join force with Twelve Nethers so that he could bring his daughter back and then overthrow Moloch's reign of terror from inside. Ironically, Helio did not know at that time that Phyllis was the murderer of Hestia. Lord Helio's plan soon went even further than anyone could bear. The second Feast of Apollo would not only resulting in Hestia's return, but also creating an utopia in the entire world with the purge of "sinners" - people around the world who became Zodiac Demons under the influence of the Feast. Disregarding that millions would die in such a way, Helio believed that if this plan was succeeded, he would have not only make his family whole again, but also taking down Moloch from inside, revealing that he only made a temporary truce to join the Nethers. Helio also fooled the minions who trusted him the most. For most of time, he instigated the plan with the help of his loyal servant, Selina Strawberry, who was unaware of Helio's true nature as the Wicker Wiseman. The Wicker Wiseman, or simply known as the Wiseman, is the evil alter-ego of Lord Helio who acted as a partner of Crow Faux, the supposed rival of the Order and leader of the Chaos of Zodiac. The Wiseman himself is one of the many prototypes of Artificial Zodiac Demons Helio created and used as his demonic form. Due to being artificial, the Wiseman persona had no soul. Therefore, unlike other Zodiac Demons, changing into the Wiseman did not affect Helio's twisted personality. However, despite often presenting in his Wiseman persona in front of Zodiac Demons, Helio hardly ever fought against his enemies in his Wiseman persona, and he even backstabbed Crow Faux before he claimed that his plan was not for Moloch, and he was using the Zodiac Demons as baits to spawn more Rookie Mages, so that there would be more Mages of Flourish to start the Order of Flourish, with the Witnesses had killed or simply defeated quite a number of them. Finally knowing the Wiseman and the White Wizard are both disguises of the Light Lord himself, Crow Faux had to retreat while feeling repulsive for the hypocritical actions of Helio. Similar to Crow who never knew the Wiseman's true identity, Selina did not know Helio's allegiance to Moloch, since she was under the effects of the Feast as well and wanted her family back, but upon knowing Helio's true allegiance, Selina was horrified since she only thought it was a plan good for the Order by bringing back Hestia and dealing a full attack on Moloch's force. Seeing people like Michael Langdon, Melancholia, Atticus Nevins, Crow Faux and Nether Kaysie the Demon Princess beside Lord Helio, having a bad feeling that the Feast would result in totally destructive outcomes. Therefore, it was a prove about just how deceitful Helio could be if he wanted to be. Realizing the error of the Order's way, Selina turned against Lord Helio, but she was subdued alongside other Rookie Mages by Helio and instigated his plan against her will. However, with the help of Kristen Kiwifruit, Selina snapped out of her situation, turning against Helio. Despite still feeling grateful for his care, Selina rebuked her former master with no hestitation. Selina claimed that even though Helio wanted Hestia back so much, even to the point of working with his enemies in order to backstab them, it resulted in nothing but mayhem and death. People will not see someone like Helio as hero, and the result of the Second Feast would never be what Hestia wanted. Overall, Lord Helio was presented as a somewhat truly sympathetic figure who wants to bring his adoptive daughter back in an extreme way, but that did not truly justify his actions that would jeopadize people all around the world by making them into Zodiac Demons due to the strengthened side effect. This desire of bringing back his daughter caused an ironic backfire on himself when he realized that Phyllis Peach was the murderer of Hestia. Phyllis was the only one who saw through the true nature of Helio, and she used his emotions as an advantage for her to manipulate him and Team Witness into fighting against each other. Even the destruction of the second Feast was what Phyllis wanted, so that she would make everyone turn against Helio while Phyllis herself could seize the chance to gain her own profit by getting the Stone of Wisdom for herself. When Helio realized everything he planned was all in the manipulation of Hestia's murderer, it was too late for him to show remorse. Even till his last breath, Helio still expressed his wish of saving his daughter and reduced into ashes. Ichabod later fullfilled his wish in another way; getting back the Stone of Wisdom and hide it so that Hestia would finally rest in peace. After Phyllis was killed by Team Witness, Ichabod buried the Stone of Wisdom into somewhere far away from the town. At this point, both Hestia and Helio could rest in peace. ''Logo Solace Sigil.png Anti-Villain Proposal 'Lord Helio', who is the leader of the Order of Flourish is neither good or evil. Before his tragic past and true intentions were revealed, Lord Helio was first presented as an Holier than Thou hypocrite, with everything that came out of his mouth during the first three quarters of the Harvest Saga were nothing more than excellently crafted lies. When Abbie called him out on murdering countless people to further his own goals, Helio called them all "insignificant" and says that they should be happy that they died for him due to a reason. Helio raises and trains Rookie Mages in order to turn them into human sacrifices for his own selfish benefits from raising the Feast of Apollo, but deep inside he had hidden depths. No one knows about his true intention to use demon powers until the end of the story. At first, even Selina Strawberry doesn't seem to know what Lord Helio's true plans are. Phyllis Peach suggests it might have something to do with the mythical Withering Mourner, also known as the Stone of Wisdom. However, it was revealed the he was not heartless and never wanted to bring the world's downfall, ignoring the error of his ways. He's a loving father, so he's not all evil. While a lot of people died and became Crpats by his hands when he tried to enhance the Croatoan Virus, but judging by the dialogue between him and Phyllis during their final confrontation, he's definitely not proud of the consequences of his actions. To revived his beloved daughter so that his family could become whole again, Lord Helio went into some kind of Black-and-White Insanity, believing himself to be justice itself. Anyone in his way shall be destroyed, even if they are allies of the Two Witnesses. At first, he thoght there is no price to high, no atrocity too heinous to commit, and no Moral Event Horizon he will not cross in order to revive his adoptive daughter, whom he treated as his own. All he wanted to do was bring Hestia back, but in the process, he put other of his "children" at rist. In the end, he failed to accomplish even that, only succeeding in creating an army of monsters and allowing a sociopathic serial killer to gain unspeakable power by killing his daughter (again) before himself dying as well. The purpose of Helio could be controversial, since he put anyone else on risk in order to achieve his plan, but he did this all for bringing back Hestia. Ichabod stated that Helio is, in fact, not a man of evil. Instead, Helio is just a man with bad luck.'' ''Background Harvest Saga Selina Strawberry Arc Stone of Wisdom Arc True Nature Selina's Defection Release of Chimera Helio VS. Phyllis Death With Ichabod, Maria, Matt, Selina, Aerisi Kalinoth, Cordelia, Katrina and Sister Mary Eunice clashed together with Helio, a massive wave of destruction had occured, and after that, Helio was injured and weakened, but the Team Witness was weakened as well. As he struggled to get up, Helio angrily declared that he was the one who would save Hestia/Zoe and he will start the Feast of Apollo once again with the Stone of Wisdom, now implanted into the body of Hestia. Then, Helio knocked down Selina and nearly all of the members of Team Witness unconcious, so that he would deal with Ichabod personally. However, as Helio started to reach Ichabod, Ichabod tried to make Helio to regain his humanity, dissauding him from his insane idea so that many lives won't be jeopadized around the world. However, this proved to be a failure. Without any remorse of his own actions which cause so much pain and distress, Helio claimed that he had only valued one life - which is no doubt his own daughter, Hestia - after Karnival had betrayed him and became Crow Faux. He turned into the Light Lord only tried to stop Crow, even in the price of dealing with Moloch so that he could overthrow his force from inside. He said Ichabod shall never understand him because he never knew what pain was. Just as he was ready to finish off Ichabod after beating him down, Helio felt he was tied up in branches and vines. Before he could react, he soon found his chest was pierced through by the Staff of Light coming from behind. Helio turned around his head in shock, and he saw Dark Arzonia standing behind him with the Wand of Light, now stabbed through his body. Then, the mainstream Phyllis Peach appeared in front of Helio. She revealed that Dark Arzonia had cured her, and unlike Helio (whom she referred as the Wiseman), Phyllis herself is just another spy working for Moloch all along, overlooking Helio in the form of a Zodiac Demon while retaining her former personality and human sense, so that she could find a chance to bring down Helio's downfall. Helio then realized that Phyllis let him to stab her on purose so that she could claim his Wand of Light, but he could do nothing but watching as the sun energy started to slip away from his chest, as Ichabod and Zoe watched in horror. Using the Wand of Light to absorb those sun energy for herself, Phyllis mocked Helio's stubborness. She claimed that the Stone of Wisdom had far more usage than just reviving his daughter, before sadistically revealing that she herself was the murderer of both Hestia Hawthorn and Dragonia Dragonfruit, and she manipulated Helio into starting the Feast of Apollo before manipulated the Witnesses to crash it so that she could see the true power of the Stone of Wisdom, in an attempt to use it for her own personal purpose. Then, Phyllis watched in satisfaction as Helio's body started to lose his power and turned back to his human form, Carmichael Clearness. Dark Arzonia mockingly added that it was not Helio who betrayed Crow, but Crow never betrayed Helio, either. In fact, both of them had betrayed each other, merely due to the greed on the Stone of Wisdom, and so both Helio and Crow should take the blame on their tragedies. After that, Dark Arzonia wiped her wand to Carmichael and released him from the wand. Now rendered powerless and mortalized, Carmichael quickly turned into a hideous old man, which was his true age, much to the horror of Ichabod and Zoe. With his final breath, Carmichael made one final attempt to cling Zoe, saying "''Goodbye, Hestia..." before finally succubbed to his wounds and turned into ashes. Lord Helio, born Carmichael Clearness, and also known as the Light Lord, the White Wizard and the Wicker Wiseman, had now gone forever. ''Legacy Personality Powers and Abilities Magic Powers Elemental techniques *'Sun Strike''' — Helio unleashes a burst of flames. This ability costs Helio 20 Sun Energy. *'Summon Sun Orb' — Helio channels for 3 seconds then summons a Sun Orb above the location of a random target. The Sun Orb then falls, and when it lands the Orb shall inflicts sunburn on his opponents within 5 yards and knocks them back. This ability costs Helio 20 Sun Energy. *'Inferno Leap' — Rajh prepares to leap to the location of a random player, then propels himself into the air and lands on the chosen location. While Helio is casting Inferno Leap, players within 10 yards of the chosen location have their movement speed increased by 50%. When Rajh lands at the chosen location, he inflicts 32375 to 37625 Fire damage and knocks away any player within 0 yards.This ability costs Helio 20 Sun Energy. *'Solar Winds' — Helio summons a fiery vortex in front of him. The vortex grows and moves away from Rajh, then begins to move around the room. The Solar Winds vortex inflicts fire damage and knocks back any opponents that move within 4 yards.This ability costs Helio 20 Sun Energy. *'Solar Fire' — As the Solar Winds move across the room, they periodically create small 4 yard patches of Solar Fire. *'Blessing of the Sun' — When Lord Helio has less than 10 Sun Energy, he walks to the middle of the room and reenergizes himself with the Blessing of the Sun for 8 sec. Helio gains 5 Sun Energy, inflicts fire damage to all opponents, and increases the damage his opponents inflict by 100% while he channels the Blessing of the Sun. ''Feast of Apollo *''See: Feast of Apollo ''Quotes *"I foresaw your coming, of course. The threads of fate that led you to this place. Your desperate attempt to stop the Qliphoth. My people face a similar dilemma. I peered into all possible futures in search for an answer... and found only one."'' *''"The Qliphoth's victory is inevitable. Every time stream shows it to be so. Had we resisted, they would have taken more of our people from me. I could not allow my family harmed, and no one can die. THE DYING ONE SHALL RESURRECTED, AND MOLOCH GAVE ME A CHANCE. So, a bargain was struck."'' *''"Can you feel it? The blessed warmth of the sun?"'' *''"Defilers! Wretches! Fiends! Begone from here!"'' *''"I am the Light Lord. No fire on Earth can harm me."'' *''"Now I see a future where the Qliphoth is victorious and my daughter fully revives and endures her pain. This is the thread that must be preserved. I will do everything in my power to make it so! Your deaths ensure the future of the Sleepy Hollow."'' *''"Come forward, then. Let us speed you toward your fate."'' *''"I send you to your deity."'' *''"I will take this life as an offering!"'' *''"Your lives are petty and insignificant. We are eternal!"'' *''"Did God save your son? Was it faith that shone in Jeremy's eyes as they closed for the final time? Or was it hatred for the father who abandoned him?"'' *''"Ichabod Crane, the symptom of success is showing inside my project of bringing the Feast of Apollo, with the risk of everyone could become wizards themselves and the Order shall take the world... a calculated risk that I would gladly accept. I helped you because you never interfered my plan, but now, since you crossed me... I am afraid it won't be lucky that much. Bring me Zoe... and the Stone of Wisdom right now!"'' *''"I should have never make you to take care of her, defiler!"'' *''"Have you forgotten already? In my world, the color red doesn't exist. These must be... my tears. Do you remember what I told you, Crane? The only time a soldier can cry is when it's all over. I think it's all over for me, but still I can't give up. It was for Zoe... no, Hestia... for my dear daughter."'' ''Quote about Lord Helio Light Lord White Wizard Wicker Wiseman Gallery Trivia *In the early concept, Helio was supposed to be a simple, shallow and megalomaniacal cult leader instead of a tragic villain who had more hidden depth and somewhat sympathetic nature. The character was redesigned due to avoiding him to be too similar to cult leaders like Aerisi Kalinoth and Marlos Urnayle, who are already sadistic megalomaniacs. *Because Wiseman is an Artificial Zodiac Demon, Helio and Phyllis/Therion are the only Zodiac Demons without the Zodiac Killer's crest somewhere on their body. *As the leader of the Order of Flourish, Lord Helio should be told by someone that he was a man who had a bag-full of ironies. **Unlike his minions, he middle name of Lord Helio is the only middle name from the members that did not follow the completely alliterative theme of his true name ('C'armichael '''C'learness) or his notable aliases presented in different times and factions (aliases like L'ord '''H'elio, the 'W'hite 'W'izard, and the ironically the 'W'icker 'W'iseman), only his epiphet of the 'L'ight 'L'ord that was ''made out of nothing but lies''. **Originally, the prophecy of the Light Lord with the Stone of Wisdom was nothing but a lie, but Helio managed to become one after getting the Stone of Wisdom for himself... before turning into insanity due to his inner corruption and his loss on his first adoptive daughter. **Although becoming the leader of the Order of Flourish, Helio had made himself an artificial Zodiac Demon while acting as a member of the Chaos of Zodiac. **After his sanity slippage due to his tragic loss, Helio became even more deranged and extreme than his dark counterpart, Crow Faux. Real-life Inspirations Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 – 3 September 1658) was an English military and political leader and later Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Cromwell was born into the middle gentry, albeit to a family descended from the sister of King Henry VIII's minister Thomas Cromwell. Little is known of the first 40 years of his life as only four of his personal letters survive alongside a summary of a speech he delivered in 1628. He became an Independent Puritan after undergoing a religious conversion in the 1630s, taking a generally tolerant view towards the many Protestant sects of his period. He was an intensely religious man, a self-styled Puritan Moses, and he fervently believed that God was guiding his victories. He was elected Member of Parliament for Huntingdon in 1628 and for Cambridge in the Short (1640) and Long (1640–1649) parliaments. He entered the English Civil War on the side of the "Roundheads" or Parliamentarians. Nicknamed "Old Ironsides", he demonstrated his ability as a commander and was quickly promoted from leading a single cavalry troop to being one of the principal commanders of the New Model Army, playing an important role in the defeat of the royalist forces. Cromwell was one of the signatories of King Charles I's death warrant in 1649, and he dominated the short-lived Commonwealth of England as a member of the Rump Parliament (1649–1653). He was selected to take command of the English campaign in Ireland in 1649–1650. Cromwell's forces defeated the Confederate and Royalist coalition in Ireland and occupied the country, bringing to an end the Irish Confederate Wars. During this period, a series of Penal Laws were passed against Roman Catholics (a significant minority in England and Scotland but the vast majority in Ireland), and a substantial amount of their land was confiscated. Cromwell also led a campaign against the Scottish army between 1650 and 1651. On 20 April 1653, he dismissed the Rump Parliament by force, setting up a short-lived nominated assembly known as Barebone's Parliament, before being invited by his fellow leaders to rule as Lord Protector of England (which included Wales at the time), Scotland and Ireland from 16 December 1653. As a ruler, he executed an aggressive and effective foreign policy. He died from natural causes in 1658 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. The Royalists returned to power in 1660, and they had his corpse dug up, hung in chains, and beheaded. Emperor Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang (Chinese: 秦始皇; literally: "First Emperor of Qin" About this sound pronunciation (help·info); 18 February 259 BC – 10 September 210 BC) was the founder of the Qin dynasty (秦朝) and was the first emperor of a unified China. He was born Ying Zheng (嬴政) or Zhao Zheng (趙政), a prince of the state of Qin. He became the King Zheng of Qin (秦王政) when he was thirteen, then China's first emperor when he was 38 after the Qin had conquered all of the other Warring States and unified all of China in 221 BC. Rather than maintain the title of "king" borne by the previous Shang and Zhou rulers, he ruled as the First Emperor (始皇帝) of the Qin dynasty from 220 to 210 BC. His self-invented title "emperor" (皇帝, About this sound huángdì), as indicated by his use of the word "First", would continue to be borne by Chinese rulers for the next two millennia. During his reign, his generals greatly expanded the size of the Chinese state: campaigns south of Chu permanently added the Yue lands of Hunan and Guangdong to the Chinese cultural orbit; campaigns in Central Asia conquered the Ordos Loop from the nomad Xiongnu, although eventually it would also lead to their confederation under Modu Chanyu. Qin Shi Huang also worked with his minister Li Si to enact major economic and political reforms aimed at the standardization of the diverse practices of the earlier Chinese states. He is traditionally said to have banned and burned many books and executed scholars, though a closer examination renders the account doubtful. His public works projects included the unification of diverse state walls into a single Great Wall of China and a massive new national road system, as well as the city-sized mausoleum guarded by the life-sized Terracotta Army. He ruled until his death in 210 BC after a futile search for an elixir of immortality. Nicolae Ceaușescu Nicolae Ceaușescu (Romanian: t͡ʃe̯a.uˈʃesku; 26 January 1918 – 25 December 1989) was a Romanian Communist politician. He was general secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and hence the second and last Communist leader of Romania. He was also the country's head of state from 1967, serving as President of the State Council, from 1974 concurrently as President of the Republic, until his overthrow in the Romanian Revolution in 1989. Born in 1918 in Scornicești, Olt County, Ceaușescu was a member of the Romanian Communist youth movement, Ceaușescu rose up through the ranks of Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej's Socialist government and, upon the death of Gheorghiu-Dej in 1965, he succeeded to the leadership of Romania’s Communist Party as General Secretary. Upon his rise to power, he eased press censorship and openly condemned the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in his 21 August speech of 1968, which resulted in a surge in his popularity. The period of stability was very brief, however; his government very shortly later became severely repressive and authoritarian, and was considered by far the most Stalinist in Eastern Europe. His secret police, the Securitate, was responsible for mass surveillance as well as severe repression and human rights abuses within the country, and he suppressed and controlled the media and press implementing methods that were among the harshest, most restrictive and brutal in the world. Economic mismanagement due to failed oil ventures during the 1970s led to skyrocketing foreign debts for Romania; in 1982, he exported much of the country's agricultural and industrial production in an effort to repay the debts. The shortages that followed drastically lowered living standards, leading to heavy rationing of food, water, oil, heat, electricity, medicine, and other necessities. His cult of personality experienced unprecedented elevation, followed by extensive nepotism and the intense deterioration of foreign relations, even with the Soviet Union. As anti-government protesters demonstrated in Timișoara in December 1989, he perceived the demonstrations as a political threat and ordered military forces to open fire on 17 December, causing many deaths and injuries. The revelation that Ceaușescu was responsible resulted in a massive spread of rioting and civil unrest across the country. The demonstrations, which reached Bucharest, became known as the Romanian Revolution—the only violent upheaval of a communist government in the turn of the Revolutions of 1989. Ceaușescu and his wife, Elena, fled the capital in a helicopter, but were captured by the armed forces after the armed forces changed sides. On 25 December, after being tried and convicted of economic sabotage and genocide, they were immediately executed by firing squad, and Ceaușescu was succeeded as President by Ion Iliescu, who had played a major part in the revolution. Capital punishment was abolished shortly thereafter. Cardinal Richelieu Cardinal Armand Jean du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu and Fronsac (French pronunciation: ʒɑ̃ dy plɛsi; 9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), commonly referred to as Cardinal Richelieu (French: Cardinal de Richelieu d(ə) ʁiʃ(ə)ljø), was a French clergyman, nobleman, and statesman. He was consecrated as a bishop in 1607 and was appointed Foreign Secretary in 1616. Richelieu soon rose in both the Catholic Church and the French government, becoming a cardinal in 1622, and King Louis XIII's chief minister in 1624. He remained in office until his death in 1642; he was succeeded by Cardinal Mazarin, whose career he had fostered. Cardinal de Richelieu was often known by the title of the king's "Chief Minister" or "First Minister". He sought to consolidate royal power and crush domestic factions. By restraining the power of the nobility, he transformed France into a strong, centralized state. His chief foreign policy objective was to check the power of the Austro-Spanish Habsburg dynasty, and to ensure French dominance in the Thirty Years' War that engulfed Europe. Although he was a cardinal, he did not hesitate to make alliances with Protestant rulers in attempting to achieve his goals. While a powerful political figure, events like the Day of the Dupes (Jour des Dupes) show that in fact he very much depended on the king's confidence to keep this power. As alumnus of the University of Paris and headmaster of the College of Sorbonne, he renovated and extended the institution. Richelieu was also famous for his patronage of the arts; most notably, he founded the Académie française, the learned society responsible for matters pertaining to the French language. Richelieu is also known by the sobriquet l'Éminence rouge ("the Red Eminence"), from the red shade of a cardinal's clerical dress and the style "eminence" as a cardinal. As an advocate for Samuel de Champlain and of the retention of New France, he founded the Compagnie des Cent-Associés and saw the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye return Quebec City to French rule under Champlain, after the settlement had been taken by the Kirkes in 1629. This in part allowed the colony to eventually develop into the heartland of Francophone culture in North America. Napoeleon Bonaparte Napoléon Bonaparte (/nəˈpoʊliən ˈboʊnəpɑːrt/; French: bɔnapaʁt; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars. As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814, and again briefly in 1815 (during the Hundred Days). Napoleon dominated European and global affairs for more than a decade while leading France against a series of coalitions in the Napoleonic Wars. He won most of these wars and the vast majority of his battles, building a large empire that ruled over continental Europe before its final collapse in 1815. One of the greatest commanders in history, his wars and campaigns are studied at military schools worldwide. Napoleon's political and cultural legacy has endured as one of the most celebrated and controversial leaders in human history. Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII (Italian: Pio XII), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacellia (Italian pronunciation: maˈriːa dʒuˈzɛppe dʒoˈvanni paˈtʃɛlli; 2 March 1876 – 9 October 1958), was head of the Catholic Church from 2 March 1939 to his death in 1958. Before his election to the papacy, Pacelli served as secretary of the Department of Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs, papal nuncio to Germany (1917–1929), and Cardinal Secretary of State, in which capacity he worked to conclude treaties with European and Latin American nations, most notably the Reichskonkordat with Nazi Germany, with which most historians believe the Vatican sought to protect the Church in Germany while Adolf Hitler sought the destruction of "political Catholicism". A pre-war critic of Nazism, Pius XII lobbied world leaders to avoid war and, as Pope at the outbreak of war, issued Summi Pontificatus, expressing dismay at the invasion of Poland, reiterating Church teaching against racial persecution and calling for love, compassion and charity to prevail over war. While the Vatican was officially neutral during the war, Pius XII maintained links to the German Resistance, used diplomacy to aid the victims of the war and lobby for peace, and spoke out against race-based murders and other atrocities. The Reichskonkordat of 1933 and Pius's leadership of the Catholic Church during World War II remain the subject of controversy—including allegations of public silence and inaction about the fate of the Jews. After the war, Pius XII advocated peace and reconciliation, including lenient policies towards Axis and Axis-satellite nations. Pius XII was also a staunch opponent of Communism and of the Italian Communist Party. During his papacy, the Decree against Communism was issued by the church; the decree declared that Catholics who profess Communist doctrine are to be excommunicated as apostates from the Christian faith. In turn, the Church experienced severe persecution and mass deportations of Catholic clergy in the Eastern Bloc. He explicitly invoked ex cathedra papal infallibility with the dogma of the Assumption of Mary in his 1950 Apostolic constitution Munificentissimus Deus. His magisterium includes almost 1,000 addresses and radio broadcasts. His forty-one encyclicals include Mystici corporis, the Church as the Body of Christ; Mediator Dei on liturgy reform; and Humani generis on the Church's positions on theology and evolution. He eliminated the Italian majority in the College of Cardinals in 1946. In 1954, Pius XII began to suffer from ill health, which would continue until his death in 1958. The embalming of his body was mishandled, with effects that were evident during the funeral. He was buried in the Vatican grottos and was succeeded by Pope John XXIII. In the process toward sainthood, his cause for canonization was opened on 18 November 1965 by Pope Paul VI during the final session of the Second Vatican Council. He was made a Servant of God by Pope John Paul II in 1990 and Pope Benedict XVI declared Pius XII Venerable on 19 December 2009. Fictional Inspirations Court of Owls (Order of Flourish's Inspiration) The Court of Owls is an organized crime group and secret society appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. They have secretly existed since colonial times in Gotham City. The Court kidnaps child performers from the circus, only to train and transform them into their assassins, known as Talons. As part of the 2015-2016 "Robin War" storyline, the Court of Owls had expanded internationally and is referred to as the Parliament of Owls. The Court of Owls is a conspiracy that has controlled Gotham City for centuries. They are a violent cabal of some of Gotham City's oldest and wealthiest families who use murder and money to wield political influence throughout history. Their bases of operation are hidden in some of the city's oldest structures. Artorius Collbrande Artorius Collbrande is the main antagonist of Tales of Berseria. Artorius lived with Velvet as family, but he is not related to her. In fact, he is her brother-in-law. At the time, he married her older sister, Celica. When an event known as Scarlet Night happened, the Daemonblight consumed their village. He saved Velvet and her younger brother, Laphicet, from the attack, but loses Celica in the process, along with their unborn child. A few years later, Velvet lives with Laphicet and Artorius in another village. The Scarlet Night returns, with the entire village succumbing to the Daemonblight: when Velvet finds Artorius, she sees he has sacrificed her brother as part of a ritual. Artorius attempts to use her as well, but she fights back and the Daemonblight possesses her arm, mutating it and turning her into a Daemon. Three years later, Artorius becomes the leader of the Abbey, an organization of the Exorcists. Ra's al-Ghul Ra's al Ghul is one of the main antagonists in the Batman series and the 2nd Archenemy of the Dark Knight himself after Joker. He is probably one of the most intelligent and mysterious villains that Batman ever faced, since he is nearly immortal and legendary. Not much is known about him, which gives him the advantage in a confrontation. He is the recurring antagonist in Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Young Justice, and Beware the Batman, the main antagonist of Superman: The Animated Series episode, "The Demon Reborn", the main antagonist in Batman Beyond episode, "Out of the Past", the main antagonist of the 2005 film, Batman Begins, an antagonist of the 2010 animated direct-to-video film, Batman: Under the Red Hood, and the posthumous antagonist in the 2012 live action film, The Dark Knight Rises. Sou Fueki Sou Fueki (笛木 奏 Fueki Sō), better known as The White Wizard (白い魔法使い Shiroi Mahōtsukai)/Kamen Rider Wiseman (仮面ライダーワイズマン Kamen Raidā Waizuman), is the main antagonist of Kamen Rider Wizard. He is an enigmatic, white-robed magician that gave Haruto the means to become Kamen Rider Wizard. He also sometimes helps and oversees Haruto's evolution from a distance. Later, he was revealed to also be Wiseman (ワイズマン Waizuman), the artificial Carbuncle Phantom and the equally mysterious leader of the Phantoms, who take no course of action without his permission. Thus, the Chief Phantoms Medusa and Phoenix must meet with the Wiseman to discuss their plans, seeking his approval. Before he became The White Wizard (Kamen Rider Wiseman)/Carbuncle (Wiseman), he was a particle physicist at Kirimine University (霧峰大学 Kirimine Daigaku). Kyuubey' Kyuubey is the main antagonist in the anime and manga series ''Puella Magi Madoka Magica, and had some minor roles in its spin-off mangas Kazumi Magica and Oriko Magica. He appeared as the "Messenger of Magic" who would grant wishes to girls. However, in return they sign a contract, and serve as a Puella Magi (Magical Girl). Their job was to kill Witches, creatures that fed on the hopes or dreams of ordinary people. However, this is actually just a distraction from Kyubey's true goal. He is voiced by Emiri Katou in the Japanese version and Cassandra Lee in the English version, the latter of whom also voices Saki Mikajima and Yubel. 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